Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/09/24
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I'd have to say the current 19mm R is comparable to my 21mm M Asph, and the 28mm R is the equal of the 28mm M 2.8, for all practical purposes. The 50mm Summicrons are equivalent, and the 50mm Summiluxes are, for practical purposes, equal; the 75 and 80mm Summiluxes are fairly equal, the 60mm is stellar in macro or normal ranges. Overall, I'd say the systems are of roughly equal quality, although you can nit-pick particular focal lengths and lenses, such as the 24mm R, which, while competent, is not reputed to be anywhere near the M Asph (I personally have not used either). I love them both for different reasons. One for precision, the other for stealth. You can't frame a 21mm M anywhere near as precisely as you can a 19mm R, for example, but you can't stick the latter in your pocket! People go on about R lenses being retrofocus designs, but they don't realize so are the M lenses ever since they had to design in enough rear-clearance for the swinging meter-cell of the M-5 and to avoid blocking the view of the meter cell on the bottom of the M6! Not as much clearance is necessary as for the mirror of the R cameras, but they are still not truly symmetrical designs since the Super- Angulons. It's not true that you can't design as good of a lens with a long back focus, it just adds complexity and size, as I understand it. Compare the size of the 21mm ASPH with the size of the 21mm SA's . Retrofocus even has some advantages, such as less vignetting. You can't generalize--look at the results of the final products. Tom On Sep 23, 2007, at 11:55 PM, Christopher Birchenhall wrote: > Jack > > In my own view the better shorter focal length rangefinder lens (up to > 75mm) outperform the comparable R lenses. Having said that you will > find the 35 f2 and 50mm f2 R lenses are good enough for most work; I > believe the latest 50 f1.4 R is very good only surpassed by the latest > 50 f1.4 M ASPH. The 90mms (Elmarit f2.8 and f2 Apos) are very similar. > The 135mm f3.4 Apo M is said be very good without a direct counterpart > in the R range. Apart from that the R range's real strength is in the > long lenses: 90 f2 Apo, the Apo-Macro 100 f2.8 Apo, the 180 Apo, the > 80-200 f4 zoom. > > As always its horses for courses. Chris B > > On 24/09/2007, Jack Maddox <jmaddox01@suddenlink.net> wrote: >> Hi All, >> >> Having never used a Leica R camera I am curious as to how the R >> lenses >> compare with their rangefinder counterparts. >> >> Jack >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information